Reis Hall

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Reis Hall is one of the iconic buildings of Allegheny College, built in 1902 to crown the campus atop the highest hill in the center of the grounds. Until 1976, Reis was home to one of the largest libraries of any college, a collection that in its earliest days aroused the envy of Thomas Jefferson. This impressive brick edifice currently houses the Allegheny College Center of Experiential Learning and the Counseling Center, Residence Life, and the Pre-Health and Religious Life departments.

Wanting to usher in the twentieth century with a building symbolic of learning, President William Henry Crawford (1893-1920) undertook the construction project in the late 1890’s with several donors and a pair of design possibilities in mind. Eventually it was W.E. Reis, President and partner of Shenango Valley Steel Co., who agreed to fund the project, but only if his donation was kept anonymous. At the end of his presidency, Crawford convinced the donor to go public and the building formerly known simply as “The Library” was renamed the William Edward Reis Library in honor of this generous donation.

The chosen design was a rotunda created by architect Charles W. Bolton, based on the Nicholas Murray Butler Library at Columbia University, and evoking Thomas Jefferson's Rotunda at the University of Virginia. Its exterior combined features of Beaux-Arts and Italian Renaissance styles while the open interior created an elegant and well-lit space for reading. In 1929, a three level addition was added to the north face of the library for the ever-expanding collection, as well as to make space for new bathrooms and the installation of a dumbwaiter to move books. A grand staircase led to the reading room and provided a focal point for the rotunda. Space was also dug beneath the building for a controlled air heating, purifying, and humidifying system, to correct ventilation problems. Construction was finished in 1931, at the cost of $60,000, once again paid for by Reis.

Despite another $765,000 renovation in 1965, Reis Library grew increasingly crowded. President Lawrence Pelletier (1955-1980) and a group of selected faculty eventually decided that a new, modern building was needed. The library was transferred into Pelletier Library in 1976 and this building officially became Reis Hall in 1979. Refurbishing was completed in 1980 as it was repurposed as an administrative building, housing various directory offices, including those of the Dean of Students, Informational Services, the Registrar, and the College’s Development Office. In addition, the basement of Reis, formerly a storage area, became the home of the Computer Services until it moved to Murray Hall in 1998.

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Reis Hall. Allegheny College. 1902. Architect Charles W. Bolton. ~ Source: Photo Credit: Brennen French Reis Hall, 1927 : A crowd gathered in 1927 to witness the unveiling of a plaque transcribing the text of Thomas Jeffersons 1824 letter to President Timothy Alden. Reis Hall exhibits many distinguishing features of Beaux-Arts style, characterized by classical elements, symmetrical layouts, flat roofs, a rusticated first story, and arching windows. Its eclectic masonry and decoration also includes elements of Italian Renaissance style, particularly the vitrified red brick and terra-cotta trimmings. ~ Source: Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny CollegeLetter of Thomas Jefferson to Timothy Alden, Feb 14, 1824 : Having received a copy of the library catalogue, Jefferson extended his congratulations to Allegheny College "on the good fortune of having become the objects of donations so liberal. That of Dr. Bentley is truly valuable for it's [sic] classical riches, but Mr. Winthrop's is inappreciable for the variety of the branches of science to which it extends, and for the rare and precious works it possesses in each branch. I had not expected there was such a private collection in the U.S." ~ Source: Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny CollegeReis Library rotunda, post 1931: In the interior, the two-story rectangular building enclosed the large octagonal rotunda reading room, brightly lit by the natural light of a leaded glass ceiling, no longer extant. The rooms on the ground floor were distributed radially around the rotunda with staircases tucked into spaces between. The walkway on the second floor of the rotunda provided access to the Treasure Room, built to house the original collection, and the Lincoln Room, where the Ida Tarbell research collection was once housed. ~ Source: Stanton Studio Meadville, PA. Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny College Reis Hall, view from the east: The expansion added to the north in 1929-31 harmonizes with the original in its materials and decoration of classical pilasters. ~ Source: Image courtesy of Brennen FrenchReis Library Reading Room, 1938: This view of the East Balcony shows students studying at long tables. The main reading room featured a large wood-burning Belgian pink marble fireplace as well as twelve-foot-deep galleries at either end, with alcoves beneath.
~ Source: The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny CollegeCirculation Desk, Reis Hall: Behind the circulation desk, around the time he was appointed College Librarian in 1942, is Professor of English Philip Benjamin (1903-1969). Holding a B.A. from Dartmouth 1926 and M.A. from Princeton 1927, he served at Allegheny for forty years teaching English and the History of Medicine, while active in local and national civic, musical and professional organizations. Behind him the barrel-vaulted staircase provides a grand entrance to the main reading room added in 1929-1931. ~ Source: Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny CollegeMain aisle, library stacks: The 1929 addition to Reis Library doubled its size, making space for the College's growing collection. Its construction represented state-of-the-art technology and the highest quality materials. ~ Source: Kurt C. Glaubach Studios, Meadville, PA. Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny CollegeCompany B World War I Soldiers in front of Reis Hall: The Student Army Training Corp was first organized at Allegheny College in 1918. ~ Creator: Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny CollegeView of Reis Hall with the "Seven Sisters" 1920: For decades a cluster of white poplars, known as the Seven Sisters, stood on the slope of Reis Hall. Legend says, a beautiful nymph inhabited each tree, only able to leave during the hour before midnight on All Hallow's Eve. Early in the century, one nymph wandered too far off with a handsome senior. Upon her return, she was unable to reenter her abode. That spring, with no internal spirit, the tree withered. Thirty years her sisters grieved her loss; passing students could hear the nymphs whisper "Sister, sister." Finally, the nymphs abandoned their homes, leaving their trees to die. ~ Source: Image courtesy of The Wayne and Sally Merrick Historic Archival Center, Allegheny College